Record 468 student-athletes earn 3.0 GPA during fall semester

Record 468 student-athletes earn 3.0 GPA during fall semester

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A school record 468 Penn State student-athletes earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the 2013 fall semester, with nearly 200 earning dean’s list recognition.

The 468 high achievers topped the previous Penn State record of 463 student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA during the 2012 fall semester. The 468 student-athletes earning at least a 3.0 GPA represents 59 percent of Penn State’s nearly 800 student-athletes enrolled during the fall semester.

Among the 468 student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA, a total of 197 earned dean’s list honors during the 2013 fall semester by posting a GPA of 3.50 or higher. The 197 total was third-highest in school history. A minimum 12 credits are required for dean’s list recognition.

"I am extremely proud of our student-athletes and coaches for their consistent dedication to academic achievement and maintaining its proper place at the forefront of the Penn State student experience," said David Joyner, Director of Athletics. "The credit belongs to the student-athletes, coaches, professors and Morgan Center staff for another record academic performance from the fall semester, our high graduation rates and many outstanding academic successes."

The efforts of the student-athletes resulted in a combined average GPA of 3.04 during the fall semester among Penn State’s 31 varsity sports. Nineteen teams earned a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Penn State student-athletes, who have captured a 15 Big Ten Championships and four NCAA titles the past two years consistently have been among the nation's most successful in earning their degrees. Among some of the recent academic accomplishments are:

-- A total of 84 Penn State student-athletes from seven fall sports earned 2013 Academic All-Big Ten accolades, the Nittany Lions’ second-highest total in their 21 years as Big Ten members;

-- The NCAA's annual study of institutions nationwide in October 2013 revealed that Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 88 percent compared to an 81 percent average for all Division I institutions for students entering from 2003-04 through 2006-07;

-- The NCAA data in October also showed the four-year federal graduation rate average for Penn State student-athletes was 78 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 65 percent, and tied for second among Big Ten Conference institutions;

-- Penn State’s Katie Slay (women’s volleyball) and John Urschel (football) earned first-team Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors last fall, with Slay being selected the Academic All-American of the Year for women’s volleyball. Penn State has had 184 all-time honorees, the third-highest total among Division I institutions, with 38 Academic All-Americans honorees the past six years.